President Edgar Lungu has said that the Continental Free Trade Area-CFTA- will only succeed if African countries enhance infrastructure development and regional trade.
President Lungu also said that the African Union and all economic blocks on the continent need to ensure equality so that CFTA benefits member countries.
The President said this during a World Economic forum panel discussion on fast tracking economic unification in Durban, South Africa.
President Lungu warned that some member counties like Zambia may consider a “brexit” approach if the benefits of the CFTA are not shared equally.
He however noted that the CFTA will make Africa an attractive investment destination and that countries should at all cost embrace the CFTA.
President Lungu also advised African countries to be a part of the CFTA because at the moment most countries have nothing to protect.
And Singapore deputy Prime Ministers Tharman Shanumgaratnam advised African leaders to be disciplined in executing their development plans.
He said it important to take one step after another by learning and adapting for growth.
The chairman of the African Export and Import bank Benedick Oramah announced that the bank has a 5 billion dollar facility aimed at supporting African companies with finance.
He said the finance will be made available to companies such As Dangote group and Export Trade Group which will in turn support SME’s .
Mr. Oramah said the bank will also be launching a plate form aimed at facilitating trade among SME on the continent using technology.
He said this should help to boost Intra African trade which has remained very low compared to trade with countries out of the continent.
The CFTA is an initiative by the African Union to integrate all the economic blocks on the continent into an economic union similar to the European Union.
President Lungu busy working while the wannabe President is rotting in jail
2021 vote PF ( Edgar)
I thank you
Very true. I like Sata coz he accepted defeat and waited until his time came without inciting violence. Now this so called hh wants to force himself on Zambians. When you lose it means people have rejected you. Let hh wait until his time comes, thats if it will even ever come. Not everyone was born to be a president after all. Others just rot in opposition/jail ( case of hh)
Renamo’s Afonso Dhlakama of Mozambique has renounced thuggery. He has recognized the serving Government as partners in moving the country forward. He has realized that those Boer mercenaries of Greg Mills were just using him to ruin his country and people. He has found wisdom in pursuing dialogue through political means.
In East Africa, John Koni of the LRA has just opted to hibernate from civilization. Sad that in Zambia some brethren think turning away from civil politics can coerce Zambians to give power.
Bukapondo tabubomba mu Zambia.
ECL President of the republic of Zambia balefwaya nangu tabalefwaya.
“President Lungu warned that some member counties like Zambia may consider a “brexit” approach if the benefits of the CFTA are not shared equally”. This is a statement made by a president of a country. Doe he even understand what he was talking about? He make phrase that is completely out of context.
“President Lungu also said that the African Union and all economic blocks on the continent need to ensure equality so that CFTA benefits member countries” And what does this statement even mean? So incoherent. If a president cant even express himself in a coherent way, how can he understand complex problems of a country like Zambia. Something is very, very wrong in Zambia. Seriously, sorry for the young generation in Zambia. They`ll inherit a very messed up country. And it takes no…
PF00ls can’t think beyond roads sponsored by CHINESE loans, built by CHINESE Construction firms, hiring CHINESE workers.
Infrastructure development at the expense of indebting the country is fallacy. These roads are already being washed away but we’ll still be paying for them for the next 30 years.
Now majority of budget will go to servicing Kaloba loans instead of education, healthcare, farming & other production subsidies to make Zambian products competitive.
Already the once vibrant steel industry is talking of closing smelters after the recent 75% electricity hike.
lungu knows jack about economics. Then he goes and appoints Mutati, a 3-time ACCA failure as finance minister who is only good at memorized rhetoric.
That’s how they’re rushing to chinese & IMF for bail-outs instead of fixing the economy. IMF loans are wound dressing solutions which hurt the country in the long-term.
It’s like a patient in ICU taking panadol instead of the drug to cure him.
Welcome back Katondo
Thanks
BB2014,2016
Busy talking about infrastructure when he is happy to pay $1million per kilometer for a road that dont last one rainy season….this corrupt lazy thing!!
Notice how Africans like copycatting their perceived masters? Copying just for the sake of copying. Lungu wants to brexit because his former Colonial master Britain has brexited.
Just come home and deal the replaying the Euro loan.
I am just wondering what Lungu is scribbling…This guy is so empty. Wonders shall neverr seaze!!! Reach me my pack pack.
Excellent job our only Republican President. All African countries should support the CFTA because Africa should trade more with itself than with the rest of the world. In that way, more jobs will be created for the African people. You are representing our country very well. We Zambians need you even beyond 2026. You are trully God given asset to us. We dont need a bitter, selfish, artofant and evil minded tribal chap like that chimbokaila man who wants to set our country on fire. May God bless President Edgar Lungu. Zambia loves you!
Don’t hero worship him. He’s only a simple politician. People won’t tell the difference between us in Pf and zealots in upnd. Never hero worship a politician.
Total lies by Lungu as usual. How has he enhanced infrastructure in Zambia when 90% of the funds were stolen and he got his $2.3 million kickbacks?
@ Humble president. Don’t suck on kaminamisa’s dictatorship.
He’s also a human being just like you. Worshiping a fellow human being who sh!ts just like you is a sin. I know you are from Eastern coz they are the ones who like worshiping presidents.
I see you fell for that 419 con-story that he’s humble. He’s a dictator in sheeps clothes!!
Now this honorable Man is called President…what about HH….inmate Hakainde i guess…and very soon i will be called in to sign his death certificate and pronounce him dead once convicted if treason …
Dr Katondo boys MD
2021 Vote PF ( Edgar)
I thank you
…No Pulpable pulse
…No observed respiratory effort
…No breath sound on auscultation
…Pupils fixed and dilated not reactive to light and therefore i pronounce him dead
Signed
Dr Katondo boys MD
2021 vote PF ( Edgar)
I thank you
Wrong Bwana Lungu ,of what use are excellent roads/rails with little to export to equally poor neighbours??
Continental free trade will only succeed if we enhance GDP growth,diversify our economies ,raise incomes , and lower tarrif barriers.Your voodoo economics Bwana Lungu means a catch22 situation – heavy debts with little improvement of govt revenues
Well said!! We think alike.
I wish we had more people in Zambia who reason like you. Check out my post on 1.5.
Enka. No economy can flourish without infrastructure development first. For instance you can grow tons of agriculture products at your farm but without adequate roads to transport them to the markets they will either rot or will be too expensive to attract customers when they finally reach the market due to transport costs through the bad roads. In economics, there are some developments that should take place first before other activities can be adequately implemented. Therefore there is a lot of sense in “Continental free trade will only succeed if African countries enhance infrastructure development” Please don’t believe politicians who will tell you that ” are we going to eat the roads etc” once the roads have been constructed coz that’s the first step in the right direction
This statement was aimed at lungu and the PF thieves ….
.”…..And Singapore deputy Prime Ministers Tharman Shanumgaratnam advised African leaders to be disciplined in executing their development plans.
He said it important to take one step after another by learning and adapting for growth….”
Anyway it is too late, the monkeys have finished stealing the maize. Now they are going begging IMF for a bailout.
There will be no investors with lungus corrupt and anti democratic credentitials…..
Those roads will soon start disintegrating….
This week end I am free so I am drafting another complaint en mass to the IMF because lungu wants to use their money for his violent attacks on the opposition…..keep you posted.
@Spaka like lilo
Am free this weekend too…feel free to contact me so I can give you a heads up on what’s next for UDPN….things are not looking good my dear friend…this is probably the first day am on Lusaka times since August 2016….and am sure you know what that means….and i wont be on Lusaka times till sometime in 2021
FYI..very soon i will be signing the death certificate of the soon to be treason convict
Katondo boys MD, pager # 89764
2021 vote PF ( Edgar)
I thank you
I ve been signing death certificates and pronouncing people dead for over 6 years now…trust me its not a good feeling….the most dreadful moment is when you turn your head towards the clock and announce the time….i.e
….No Pulpable pulse
….No observed respiratory effort
….No breath sound on auscultation
….Pupils fixed and dilated not reactive to light and therefore i pronounce him dead….4:30am
Signed
Katondo boys MD, Pager #89764
2021 vote PF ( Edgar)
I thank you
Yes that is the sacrifice that HH must pay for our freedom.
You can destroy the UPND but zambians have sampled democracy and more will come to take up the cause…..the democratic fire can never be extinguished.. ..
We stand for democratic freedoms.
Investors don’t like Political risks! They won’t come to risk their investment if the Judicial system and rule of law are non-existent. Kenya has already taken a stance on who to trade with! No trade with countries with no good governance record! If you suppress the Press and imprison political opponents on trumped up charges, no trade with you! If your body language shows you are an angry man, no one will take your speech seriously! Anger management and grooming on body language is very important. Sit like Leo when debating in public! Your eyes should not be fixated on your ka written speech! Maintain eye contact with those you are talking to. The opponent you have locked up does a good job on such fora! He could have helped if only you were humble enough to ask!
Ok guys i have to get back to work now..my pager is going off…..
Talk to you in 2021
Bye for now and
I thank you
Evil Lungu pretends to be humble when he is a wolf in sheep skin. There is always a karma. Do unto others as you would like them do unto you.
These PF cadres with their hunger who continue to be spend half of their lives blogging, what do they benefit ayi? We all know that both PF and UPND have got completely no capacity to turn round the fortunes of this country. Why waste so much time posting and posting, meanwhile injala ili fulu fulu country wide
The kaponyas theives think by getting rid of HH and UPND no one will challenge their corruption, mismangment and attacks on democracy and Kaizer zulu morals they want want to impose on zambia, you are wrong.
This is not about HH or UPND this is about the rule of law, fight against corruption and moral decay and our democratic rights….
Yes you can destroy UPND and HH but we now know what democracy and rule of law is is and nothing can take that away.
Wait until the effects of corruption hit their stomachs.
Right now things are bad in Zambia, there’s no money in circulation, no tender because BOZ doesn’t want to print money to pay local suppliers. Soon Euro-bond, which was shared amongst cadres, will mature & then all hell will break loose economically. The same people worshiping lungu will turn around and insult him. By then PF-police force will be double in size to quell any food riots.
And if illegal governments like yours stop awarding contracts to party sympathisers and cadres who end up building substandard roads lasting only three years. Also freedom can only come about where the legal structures and rule of law is supreme unlike under pf where there is selective justice why woolf anyone want to trade with a dictatorship apart from China and north Korea
Also freedom can only come when we respect authority and abash the culture of insults, tribalism, bitterness. Further we must harness the culture of acceptance and tolerance so that our forefathers dream of ONE ZAMBIA ONE NATION can be realised. AMEN and God bless Zambia.
African leaders are good at talking but poor at implementation. All this is just a talking shop and nothing will come out of it
PF regime has never studied what brought down UNIP Govt. They are making the same mistakes as UNIP. KK had 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. National Development Plans using IMF & World Bank loans. That hurt the economy so bad until HIPC when all debts were written off. Sadly PF regime has reversed all those achievements.
Why not develop the GDP & use our own taxes to develop infrastructure using Zambian companies instead of Chinese who take the money out of the country??
Zambia needs the 10 point plan, not this mungulu-chipante-pante Kaloba schemes designed to self-enrich themselves at the expense of debt. How does a 28 year old boy buy a hat for K185,000??
The ONLY person who can exorcise evil, anger and hate from HH is HH himself.
To paraphrase an old adage, anger is a corrosive chemical that corrodes the container within which it is contained.
You kaponyas are obsessed with HH.
He is in jail…..he can not affect your misrule and corruption, you can breath for now….
JEMASON was too generic, and had nothing to say about the state of Zambia’s economy because it’s in shambles, relying on IMF bail-out for a life-line.
Other leaders used the occasion to market their countries as favorable investment destination. JEMASON’s rhetoric sounds like “in a speech read on his behalf…” kind of speech.
Look at useless lungu forcing himself….siting between a deputy priminster and a director of a company….no presidents only lungu trying to look important.. ..
Ba Lungu stop repeating what others have already said. Nepad recognised these needs long ago. Pick it up from there
Busy talking infrastructure development yet no investment in the labour market to sustain the very infrastructure development being mentioned. Zambia’s levels of unemployment speaks volumes about where PF priorities lay
Spaka like lilo:you now sound very sober and hopeless!!at first you thought HH’s mongu saga is a simple case,but events in court have shown you that actually is a big one.be strong,your HH is still innocent.
Besides,you told us last weekend that South Africans will protest at the World Economic Forum where ECL will be addressing delegetes and that delegetes will boo him because of the arrest of HH.HAS ANYTHING LIKE THAT HAPPENED IN DURBAN?
“KU DREAMA SIBALESIA,MANJE KADREAMIDWE”!!!
Anyway,wish Mr HH well in the courts!!
Njimbu
You are a stinking lier who thinks money rains on kaponyas around lungu.
Show me my post where I said lungu will be booed ?
As for the case regarding HH it is not going anywhere this is just lungu trying to break HH and UPND.
HH has to sacrifice his freedoms for our democracy……that is just how it is. Some one has to stand up to a dictator and take the flak and HH accepts his fate.
HH will never be convicted on such flimsy rubbish. If he is ever convicted lungu will be black listed on the international stage. And lungu will end all foreign aid for which Zambia depends.
IMF has advised the government to improve on their governance system if Zambia needs aid….The rule of law, prudent fiscal policy, strict monetary policy, debt management policy corruption and upholding democratic tenets. The CHINESE has made it clear that they may not advance any more grants as they perceived that the government has overborrowed.
Watch the effects of being denied aid…. Maybe the Islamic institute may give SUKUK bonds or other Islamic financial instruments. Above all ,there is no ‘riba’ with these instruments….
The whole talk in Durban is simple talk… Zambia need donor aid. Where from, I don’t know….. let the powers be meticulously decides otherwise they may be a government shutdown like the USA…
That is what the kaponyas do not understand , that Zambia right now relies on aid…and needs an IMF bailout.
They saw the eurobonds that were being stolen and think everyday it’s Christmas with eurobonds , to the extent that some of them like njimbu et al think money rains on those kaponyas who surround lungu…
With lungus assault on democracy , I would be surprised, very surprised if lungu got anything from the IMF.
Another thing the kaponyas don’t understand is the power of voiceferious lobby groups, zambians have woken up and have been complaining enmass to the IMF how lungu will use the funds to further errode democracy.
@Spaka, we warned and warned HH fir his good to stop his undisciplined protestations, but he would not listen. There was no need for his sad conduct. It’s sad even for people from other parties.
The question is whether a state should condone Treason just because a popular opposition leader decides to disrupt the country’s democratic system. It was his choice.